The Sun Shines at Awkward Times
by The What-If Writer
Summary: One-shot surrounding Clementine and Squint. Read 'Pirates and Survivors' before reading to avoid spoilers and confusion. 'Clem had something important she has to tell Squint. But the situation is awkward and nervous despite it being so sunny...'


_Who's just the best uploader, huh?_

_A little one-shot surrounding Clementine and Squint._

_Please review._

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The Sun Shines at the Awkward Times.

Some people wonder why the sky's blue. Some wonder why we all exist. Most wonder about trivial things, like what are we going to have for dinner today, or what's the thing I forgot yesterday?

Well, Clementine was wondering why the sun was shining to brightly on such an awkward day. It was almost as if it had turned into the twin of Maut, grinning down at her as if it knew exactly what was on her mind. Had she had eyeballs of steel she would've glared back at it.

The small, fair-furred doe was wandering about the clearing, pacing almost in a perfect circle while pulling fretfully at her ears. This couldn't be happening.

She bit her lip and lowered her head, returning to her frantic pacing. Being so caught up in her worried thoughts, she was unaware that she was about to pace right into one of her friend's legs.

Ellie blinked down at the rabbit as she stumbled back, nearly jumping out of her skin. She clutched her chest and panted slightly, looking anxiously up at the she-mammoth.

"E-Ellie..." She breathed, straightening up "Um, you startled me."

"I can tell, honey." The mammoth replied, raising a brow. "You feelin' okay?"

Clementine nodded quickly. Ellie saw through it as if it were made of air, tilted her head.

"Okay, what's happened?"

Clementine took a nervous, sharp breath, fiddling with her paws. "N-nothing, Ellie."

Really. "Yeah? you look like you've seen a ghost, sweetheart."

Clementine laughed nervously, still playing with her fingers. "Right...right."

"Your not sick are you?" Ellie remembered that Clementine hadn't been feeling well recently. She had to reason to...bad berries, maybe? couldn't be anything serious.

Though the mammoth was parading over these trivial ideas, she knew what was happening. It was far too obvious, at least to her it was. A bright, knowing smile spread across her face, eyes lighting up cheerily. Clementine didn't see it however, as she was too busy staring at her feet helplessly.

"Your pregnant?"

Clementine jumped upon hearing the world, gaping at Ellie. She closed her mouth, then opened it again. Ellie frowned humorously, waving her trunk back and forth between her eyes.

"You alright?"

Clementine blinked and turned around, shivering again. now that Ellie had said it, the fact seemed so real. Really, there was no other explanation for her sickness and everything else...but...

"I'm...I'm just so..." She groaned, turning to face the mammoth again "I know I should be happy, but..."

"Your scared outa your wits." Ellie finished bluntly, nodding "I know, honey. All mothers are at first, but you'll come round."

That seemed to cheer Clementine slightly, but it seemed another matter had crossed her mind as she began fiddling with her ears again, whimpering slightly. Ellie rose a brow, figuring t out instantly.

"You haven't told Squint yet."

"I don't know how!" She exclaimed, the doe throwing her arms up in the air "I...can't seen to get out of this clearing. I really, really..."

She sat down, pulling her knees to her chest as Ellie allowed her to continue.

"I'm scared of what he'll think."

Ellie smiled gently. Obviously these two hadn't seen this coming by a long shot- Squint had no idea how to deal with kids...then again, neither did Clementine. But all parents start out like that...but she agreed with the fact that telling the news to your mate was the hardest part of the whole thing. Like jumping off a diving board. But it just had to happen so things could go on.

"Just go to him, get him to stop fighting with the badger guy..." Ellie remembered hearing the rabbit hitting that badger a while (again.) "And tell him. Simple as that."

Clementine squeaked, shaking her head. Ellie shoved her gently in the right direction.

"Go! come on! let's roll!"

Clementine kept glancing back nervously, each time being met with Ellie's supportive look.

She found Squint having a glaring contest with Gupta, the other members of the herd wandering about. Manny, Sid, Diego and Shira had visited today, Peaches and Louis had gone off with the misfits...all of the pirates sans Squint, Gupta and Raz had gone to the beach...so maybe now was a better time that any.

She wandered over towards Squint, who finally broke his glaring contest when he spotted her out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh hey, Clem." He smiled crookedly over at her, but his grin vanished when he spotted her nervous look. "What's up?"

"Meep."

He rose a brow. Argeth, who was leaning with his arms folded against a tree nearby, raised his head and began listening. Clementine cringed, fiddling with her ears. Squint came closer and tilted his head, trying to catch her eye. She felt incredibly awkward by this point.

"What's wrong? come on, tell me!" He took hold of her shoulders. Clementine knew there was no going back now.

"I'm...well, Squint, I'm..."

His ears fell worriedly. He probably though she was going to say she was ill, and the worried look on his squinted features made her stomach turn.

"I'm..." She sighed deeply, dropping her arms and letting her rigid posture slacken.

"I'm pregnant."

Silence.

Then, a thud. Followed by a small uproar.

Needless to say, Squint was a very shocked former pirate. He'd stared at his mate blankly, eyes (both of then) shot wide. Then, they'd rolled back and he'd promptly fainted of the spot, something that should have made Gupta (who stood with his jaw hanging open) laugh.

Sid cheered happily, oblivious to Shira and Diego's exchanged, dumbfounded glances and Manny's blunt, irritated look, muttering to himself about having more of those little 'squint eyed pests' running around as the former survivors shouted in unison.

"WHAT?"

Maut whistled, grinning at Clementine as she dropped beside Squint, who had now come to and was sitting up, shaking his head. Gutpa began grinning, too.

"Squint?" Clementine asked, petrified that this was a very negative response to the news "It's okay...I um..."

"Whoa..." The buck muttered, looking bemused beyond all reason as he rested a paw on his head, eyes wide."I can't believe this...you're pregnant...oh my go..."

He froze, jaw ajar. He slowly looked over his shoulder.

Oh. No.

You're probably wondering what Argeth's reaction to this was. Well, the armadillo had been about to take a bite out of his apple when he heard his younger-sister figure announce the news, and had frozen along with everyone else. Now, as some stood gaping (Kurues, Manny and the sabers) raising a brow while smiling (Raz of course) or grinning like idiots (Gutpa and Maut) he'd proceeded to scowl.

Squint had seen this and looked like he was about to die of fright as the armadillo approached. Clementine wasn't in any better state than he was.

"Are you two serious?" He asked, standing over them and glaring at them critically. Squint gulped as Clementine answered. "Your both far too young in my opinion..."

"I'm serious, Argeth...please don't be mad..."

The armadillo held Squint's gaze longer, the most warning, threatening look the buck had ever seen boring through his skull. Then, Argeth sighed, covering his eyes.

"Okay, then...I'm going to be babysitter, aren't I-"

Clementine had happily hugged Argeth around the waste upon hearing he wasn't mad. He rolled his eyes, allowing a small smile to appear as he tugged her off.

"Okay, okay, congratulations." He said. Squint had finally gotten back onto wobbly feet, and the armadillo caught him by one ear, frowning.

"Don't screw up." Those words said, he stood back and allowed the rabbits to face each other. Clementine shrugged, smiling nervously. Squint looked worried, and very bemused...but slowly, a smile appeared.

"Whoa...I'm a Dad. That's cool."

Clementine squealed happily and threw her arms around him, nearly knocking him off his feet as she did so. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and whirled her in the air before they both slipped and landed on the ground.

"Whoops!" He whipped up quickly and pulled her back to her feet, suddenly cautious. Well, yeah, she was carrying kids now (Thier kids...whao...) which means she had to be careful, right...

As the others gathered around to congratulate them, Ellie smiled knowing from behind. Yup, her work here was done...

That was cute.

And so the sun shined at the most awkward times...but they soon turned out to be the happiest ones.

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Squint had been very protective over the course of the pregnancy; Much like Manny had been. He worried about his mate's whereabouts and if she was feeling okay, and Clementine found herself being the one calming a nervous bunny down this time.

The day was bright and sunny, just like the day he'd found out about the pregnancy when Clementine went into labour.

Other members of the herd had worried about complications...as Clementine herself was under sized and rather weak, they didn't know if she'd be able to carry all of her little ones to term.

Squint was twirling his dagger, something that usually reassured him, in one paw as he waited outside the cave were Clementine, Ellie and Maut had entered a few hours ago. H'ed been told to leave because it seemed there was a complication.

It was driving him mad, the worry. What id he lost Clem here?

The thought made him feel sick, and the buck shuddered. Argeth was standing beside him, arms foled tightly, fingers digging into his skin worriedly. He glanced at the rabbit.

"She'll be alright. She's tough." He informed the rabbit. Squint didn't seem to hear.

Then, a cry went into the air, echoing from the cave. Squint leaped to his feet.

It was a baby's cry. Two, in fact- one louder than the other.

His eyes widened so much he thought they might pop out of their sockets if he wasn't careful. Argeth grinned at him and shoved him towards the cave, gesturing for him to enter.

Squint didn't need to be told twice, and zipped like a minute lightning bolt into the deep cave. Ellie saw him approaching (or rather, a blue) and stepped back, pulling Maut with her.

Clementine was holding two small rabbits in each arm, her now thin frame covered with large leaves for comfort. Squint's ears dropped and an odd, warm feeling entered his chest as he approached quietly. Clem smiled at him as he sat down beside her, leaning over to get a good look at the two newborns.

He noticed there were only two, distinctly odd for a litter of rabbits...and they were both boys. One of them was fair-furred and creamy like Clementine, though Squint could pick out his features on the little ones face. He opened his eyes, displaying a pair of wide, familiar brown eyes that he shared with his mother.

Squint grinned as the fair one reached out for him, and Clementine nodded at her husband, signalling to take him. Squint nervously lifted the bigger baby into his arms, using him thin limbs like a cradle. The baby stared up at him, paw in his mouth, smiling happily.

"Heh...he sorta looks like me..." Was all the former pirate could say.

Clementine held her other, grey-furred sun in her arms, holding him out slightly so Squint could see him, too. Squint spotted most of Clementine's features on the baby despite his grey fur, and his eyes were large and brown, just like his mother and brothers. He babbled happily, raising a paw to touch his mother's face.

"So...you gonna name him?" Squint asked, nodding at the one in his arms. Clementine smiled gently.

"I was thinking...Fifer."

Squint tried it out. "Fif-er. Huh. Sounds good. Hey...can we call him Benny?" He pointed at his similarly coloured son, who proceeded to take his paw and tugged at it curiously.

Clementine laughed as Squint tried to pull his finger away after a while, as it seemed Benny's grip was tight. "Sure..."

"Aack...tight grip there, Ben...please let Dad go now..."

They looked like a proper little family, Ellie noted as she and Maut retreated to allow some bonding time. And the mammoth couldn't help but be reminded of Crash and Eddie... though even now those two bunnie children looked smarter than her crazy brothers...

Argeth probably had the same thoughts, for as the two passed him by, he was shaking his head while muttering something under his breath. The sun was bright, the air was clear...and...

"Yup. Trouble is nigh..."

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_BUNNIES. _


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